


I thought I saw you in the water

by changez



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coney Island, Day At The Beach, First Meetings, Jyn Erso Is a Good Bro, M/M, Modeling, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:01:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25663267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/changez/pseuds/changez
Summary: Bodhi (with the help of Jyn) takes photos at the beach and catches the attention of one Cassian Andor.
Relationships: Cassian Andor/Bodhi Rook
Kudos: 21
Collections: SniperPilot





	I thought I saw you in the water

The Coney Island beaches were honestly disgusting. No matter the time of day, even if they’d just been combed, there was garbage everywhere. This particular early morning was no exception, as Bodhi posed in the water, an empty Lay’s bag wafting into frame. He couldn’t help but laugh. It wasn’t that he found the garbage funny, it was more that nothing ever seemed to go right. 

“Next time, let’s just take pictures at an actual dump!” Bodhi called out to his photographer (his best friend and half-sister Jyn) standing on the shore. 

“It’s really not that bad if get the right angle!” 

Bodhi just chuckled, striking a different pose as a slightly larger wave came in. Though Bodhi was in the water to his knees, he still found it difficult to keep his balance. 

“Alright Bo, I think these are as good as we’re gonna get!” Jyn called out. Bodhi sighed, hoping they’d gotten at least one decent shot he could use for his portfolio. 

“Don’t look so mopey. You’re seriously doubting my photogrphy skills and I don’t appreciate it.”

Bodhi scooped you a towel and started drying off his feet and arms. He figured the summer sun would dry off his jeans and t-shirt in due time. He wrapped his long, dark hair up in the towel. 

“It’s not that. It just...gets me kinda down, you know? I wish people would just pick up their trash.”

Jyn was silent, browsing through the photos as Bodhi looked over her shoulder. 

“Aw shoot. We should’ve done one of those photos with me coming out of the water sipping my hair back!” 

“We could still do that. If you don’t mind getting completely wet.”

Bodhi shrugged, unwrapping his hair from the towel and tugging his t-shirt over his head. “I’ll be dry by the time we get to the station.”

“I’ve gotta do some test shots, adjust the shutter speed. Just practice for now, I guess,” she called out to him. 

Bodhi swam out far enough that the water was touching his waist, and he dipped under the water. He came up gasping slightly, not entirely prepared for how cold the water was, his hair completely matted to his face.

“I hope that was just practice!” Jyn called out. Bodhi laugher, shaking the water from his hair. 

“Just needed to go completely under first. Tell me when!” 

“You can start trying now, I’ll just keep adjusting!”

Bodhi gave her a thumbs up before dipping under the water once more. He crouched down and leaned forward and popped out of the water, tossing his hair back. 

“That looks so rad!” Jyn called out.

“Go again?” 

Jyn nodded, holding the camera up to her face once more. Bodhi repeated the action, but this time, as he finished whipping his head back, he caught sight of a guy on the dock above, staring at him. Bodhi wouldn’t have thought much of it, except the guy was, aside from being unfairly attractive, was absolutely unmoving, and it appeared his younger sister or niece or someone was trying to get his attention. 

“Hey!” Bodhi called up, waving. The man startled and quickly stepped back out of sight. Bodhi looked to shore to see Jyn giving him a smirk, but said nothing. 

Bodhi did a few more takes and finally waded ashore, suddenly regretting his choice to wear jeans in the water as not bringing something to change into. As he toweled off and wrapped his hair again, Jyn have him a look. 

“What?  _ What?” _

“That hot guy? On the dock? I totally got a picture of him checking you out.” 

“You didn’t...let me see!” Bodhi exclaimed as he nudged himself into Jyn’s side to get a look at her display screen. 

“I wonder where he went…” Bodhi muttered as he examined the man’s soft brown hair and stubbly face.

“Right behind us, actually. I mean,” Jyn said, grabbing Bodhi’s arm to keep him from turning around. “up further, closer to the boardwalk. He’s trying to be nonchalant.”

“I’m not! Jyn, what if he likes me? What do I do?” 

Jyn knelt down and started packing up her camera. “You offer to hang out with him the rest of the day. I’m a big girl, I can ride home by myself.” 

“But he’s got like, a kid with him!” 

“He can’t take his sister slash cousin slash niece slash daughter to the beach?”

Bodhi’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull. “His daughter?!” 

“What? Single dad’s are cute. You were just telling me that the other day. Oh shit, he’s coming. Act cool. I’m leaving.”

Before Bodhi could persuade Jyn to stay, she turned, leaving the big brother slash cousin slash uncle slash father more room to approach Bodhi. 

“Hi. I um. Saw you were filming?”

Bodhi looked down at the ground, suddenly embarrassed by the fact that he’d chosen modeling as a profession and had picked a Coney Island beach to take photos at. 

“Oh. Oh um...not filming. Just pictures. For-for me. I mean, not me personally. For my portfolio,” Bodhi stammered. 

“I work at an agency, actually.”

If it was possible to die and then come back to life in a split second, Bodhi was quite positive he’d just done it. This guy must’ve thought Bodhi looked like a complete, talentless fool. 

“Oh?” Bodhi finally managed. The man padded his swim trunks then shrugged. 

“I don’t have my card on me but I have my phone? I’m not some-some scam. We’re not, I mean. I’m a recruiter for RA Modeling Agency.”

“You’re not a model?” Bodhi blurted out. The man blushed, running a hand through his hair. “No, no. I prefer to be behind the lense. I’d love to set something up though, if you’re interested.”

Bodhi was pretty sure at the moment he thought he’d died he hadn’t actually come back to life. He’d been dreaming of being hired by RA Modeling since he’d decided to become a model. 

“I uh...y-yeah. Yeah that sounds. Yeah.”

“Great! I can get your contact info. And I’ll give you mine. Like I said, it’s not a scam. I promise, I’m even on their website. I’m just here with my little sister today and I saw you. I had to ask.”

“Your-your sister? Wow that’s really nice. My sister was taking my photos for me. I mean, she always does. She wants to be a photographer. She’s the one that encouraged me to peruse modeling. But she just does it for fun. She’s a systems engineer.”

Bodhi stopped himself, positive he had turned redder than a lobster. But the man was smiling softly. 

“I’m glad. I was afraid she was...never mind. Let’s exchange numbers.”

Bodhi tried not to read too much into what the man had said as he nodded. They started walking back towards where the sister had been patiently waiting, sculpting some sort of sand castle. The man dug around for his phone and Bodhi realized Jyn had taken his phone so that his didn’t get wet. 

“Shit I-I don’t have my phone. My sister took it. She’s got my wallet, too,” Bodhi groaned. The man smiled, handing his phone over to Bodhi so that he could type in his name and number.

“I could drive you home, but you’d have to spend the day with me. I mean, if you don’t mind hanging out with me and my little sister.” 

Bodhi felt his heart stutter, but he knew this was too good to be true. 

“I live way the hell up by the Cloisters…that’s...gotta be too far.”

The man suddenly had an enormous grin on his face. “Me too! That’s why I was offering in the first place. I figured wherever you lived had to be on the way. I’m Cassian, by the way. Cassian Andor.” 

He held out his hand and Bodhi took it, trying really hard to not get lost in the firm grip or soft hands. 

“I’m Bodhi Rook. It’s nice to meet you.” 

——-

As the sun set and the brilliant lights of Coney Island started to pinging to life, Bodhi was quite sure he’d made the right decision to come there that day. And as he felt a squeeze from the hand he was holding, he was quite sure Cassian thought the same. 


End file.
